Vector control officials brief Pico Rivera council on mosquito-borne disease risks and control methods including sterile-insect technique

The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District briefed the Pico Rivera City Council on May 20 about local mosquito-borne disease risks, surveillance and control programs, and community outreach options.

Lisonbee Costa, assistant general manager for the district, said the agency monitors mosquitoes across the district and responds to service requests, and she highlighted dengue, West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis as disease threats in the region. “There were 140 travel-associated cases within our district in 2024. There were 3 locally acquired cases within our district and 14 locally acquired cases within LA County,” Costa said, distinguishing travel-associated cases from locally acquired infections.

Costa described the district’s integrated vector management approach — surveillance, control and education — and listed programs including door-to-door yard inspections for Aedes mosquito responses, single-route treatments of public sources, a swimming-pool program for unmaintained pools, gutter treatments, and work in underground storm drains and flood-control channels. She also described a pilot sterile-insect technique the district has used: the district sterilizes male mosquitoes and releases them to mate with wild females, producing no offspring over time.

Council members thanked the district for its work and asked operational questions. A council member asked whether vector control would spray on private property without homeowner permission; Costa replied that staff would not spray without permission and described nonchemical options and yard-inspection steps the district takes first in many cases.

Costa asked the council to continue partnering on public education. She suggested city social media, newsletters and a dedicated district tab on the city website to share updates and a reminder to residents to report mosquito sources through the district’s service-request system.

There was no council vote on the presentation. Staff indicated the item was received for the record and that the district will continue outreach and coordinate service responses with Pico Rivera residents.

Key takeaways for residents: call the vector control district’s service-request line or use its website for inspections; the district said it prefers nonchemical approaches where possible and only sprays private property with permission.

(Reporting note: quotes and case numbers above are reported verbatim from the district’s presentation at the council meeting.)